More like what places we’ve come from, been and currently are that allow us to do the research that sparks joy.
Note some answers have been translated from their original language or altered by the request of the correspondent
| Tell us a short story about your background in science! Do you want to share an image or a video that represents your story as a tropical/subtropical ecologist? Go ahead! |
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| I am a biologist with a passion for ecology, plants and statistics. When I was in high school I only thought about studying a career in science. when i hold my in undergraduate in Biology. I worked for 5 years as a botanist. I visited many mega diverse places in my country, such as tropical forest, dry forest, savannahs and deserts. One day I started a master’s degree in biomedical engineering and worked with mathematical models for tropical infectious diseases. I have had to be constant in the desire to pursue the goal of being a scientist, it requires a lot of preparation and dedication. |
| I was born and raised in Colombia but MS PhD posdoc and job in the USA. I do not want to go back to Colombia. I worked for a while in Colombia but the cronyism, corruption, and violence make me leave, it is not worth it, that idea of return to your country to give back it is a huge lie and a scam. It is difficult for non US citizen to apply and compete for jobs in the USA or Europe, and it is frustrating see US citizens that only went to a tropical place for a summer to take field data, or attended and conference in a tropical country that did not even speak native language, to get jobs that more qualified non US citizens cannot apply. |
| I am from a tropical country, and very early in life decided to study something with animals. As I finished high school I entered Biology as a undergrad, but Biology was 5 yrs and a thesis at the time and place. So I took all courses and so on and went several times to the field to learn and do biology. Internet was not as extensive as today and in many areas no wifi connections or cell phones worked back then (it is still that way in several areas were I do field work today in my home country). We had to plan in advance many things, all equipment, books, gear, and so on, to solve whatever was needed; and planning carefully was partly experience, partly funds, and good problem solving with what was available, because there was no return to anyplace with those for over 20 days to several months. I was able to stay in some great places, mainly in the mountains, gather information with a small group of researchers and be fascinated and overwhelmed with biodiversity.Two little of it and its fun but you want more, and to many of it and it may be annoying. I will always remember going upstream in a cloud forest, walking inside the stream and the light becoming dimmer since dusk was coming and the mist covering all while hearing the songs and trills of birds going for their last meal, and the fist sounds of frogs starting… a magical place. I tried to do graduate studies several times, but at that time written letters was the way… and few answers came back, but no grants available. I continued doing ecology and research in the tropics, until years later was able to apply several times to foreign programs, but now through the internet and emails, so communication has been an allied as well as internet, studied ecology and evolution and graduated mixing what I had learned on natural history, ecology and evolution and field experience. I believe many ecological principles apply anywhere in the planet, but some views still on place may be different if more ecological studies are done in the tropics. |
| Most of my work has been abroad. I started in Costa Rica and then the United States. When I worked in Colombia in the field of science, it was always with short contracts, nothing stable. The only stable job was as an airport biologist for almost 5 years. My job in Costa Rica was a dream. I worked for 2 years as a field research coordinator in a Sea Turtle project. The place was spectacular and I met researchers from all over the world. |
| Since I was little I always did outdoor activities. I also had access to books with photos of animals and drawings of the different systems (respiratory, nervous, etc). I loved watching birds, especially raptors, and when I entered undergraduate biology I found a student group of birds, where I learned field techniques and bird taxonomy. Without a doubt, this student group (https://gounaves.wordpress.com/) was where I received one of the most important parts of my training, even more than many classes. Since then, I (and the members of the group) have always stood out for learning field techniques that are taught in other universities at the postgraduate level. Without a doubt, the biggest challenges in science have been in writing and using a second language. Writing and second language (English) training is very poor in my country. I have managed to overcome these barriers by paying for private English courses and an internship that I did in the United States during my undergraduate degree, where I improved my English. I have also had the guidance of very good scientists who speak English as their first language, who correct my texts and make suggestions that I am learning little by little. The best situation of being a subtropical biologist is definitely being in the field. Knowing new places, people, landscapes and animals. An adventure! Once in the Brazilian Amazon (I did my master’s degree in São Paulo) I was face to face with a jaguar less than 6 meters away. We met eye to eye and luckily the animal fled. Although it was a very dangerous moment, it was a unique experience. |
| I come from Venezuela and I always wanted to study biology. When I entered the race I was not sure which branch I would choose. Eventually I settled on ecology, and marine ecology in particular. Something that I did not expect since I did not even know how to swim when I started the race. At the end I did my thesis on seagrass meadows, and I continued my master’s degree studying coral reef diseases. I have always been fascinated by the enormous biodiversity present in even the smallest patches of an ecosystem. |
| Fieldwork is difficult without the help of partners. |
| As a child my imagination was totally captured by the outside world - people either bored or intimidated me. Growing up in (almost always sunny) South Africa where year round outdoor exploring is very much the order of business only helped re-enforce this. As I grew older the idea of working in a ‘normal’ job was possibly the most unappealing idea - mostly because even now I don’t actually know what a ‘normal’ job entails and at this point I’m too afraid to ask. I knew one thing though and that was that future Tanya needed to work with the natural world in some capacity and not need to have an office mandated dress code. Biology was the natural direction to go into and I can still recall the exact first year botany lecture in which I decided that ecology was what got me really excited. Specifically interactions between species and then just getting absolutely blown away thinking about all the layers that there was to this. I was fortunate to have had the opportunity to do my Masters abroad in cold, dark (NEVER sunny) Sweden. But let me tell you I missed home, Africa home that is, A LOT, although I did learn a lot and I think it is also what precipitated the (dare I say it) audacity of me to apply for a PhD program in Canada (even further from home but hopefully a bit more sunny). The decision to study far from home is something that, to this day, I think about a lot. There are a whole host of thoughts that run through my head regarding this. One of them is that I think its easy to fall into this idea that the grass is greener at some institutions/countries and that it gives you a chance to sit at the ‘cool kids’ table. There is probably some truth to this but having to leave the place that that moulded and shaped me into the scientist I am now in order to further my training to become a ‘better’ scientist doesn’t always sit well with me. |
| “How did I start? I was born in a rural area in Colombia, surrounded by a lot of countryside !! I liked nature but …! I did not know that you could be a scientist! I thought it was very far from our reality and also difficult, besides I did not know anyone who was. So now it seems important to instill the girls or talk to them that they can be scientists if they want to and the importance of giving visibility to the scientists who work in this part of the world and that they do a wonderful job. Then, after a few difficulties, I entered a public university in the Biology program, while I was in my degree, I joined a research group and it all began there. Difficulties? Many, from the beginning of my process as a researcher, I believe that the main difficulty is funding. Since I was an undergraduate student with some classmates, we started with small research projects that went ahead thanks to everyone’s creativity and enthusiasm because they were totally self-financed projects. After obtaining my undergraduate degree, I started master’s studies; and since in my country there is no scholarship system for postgraduate studies, I had to work to pay for my studies. Graduate school and my thesis required full time; I had to manage to study and work at the same time, something that has been very difficult for me. So when I finish my master I want to sleep a lot! I work in the high Andean forest and that forest is my greatest inspiration to never give up despite the difficulties … Being a researcher in a tropical region is truly a privilege: the complexity of these ecosystems, the marvel of landscapes, an amazing biodiversity that never ceases to amaze and everything there is to investigate, conserve and protect! Finally, and in my case, I consider that Colombia is the best country to do research, but being a researcher here is a great challenge, mainly in terms of funding and job opportunities.” |
| My Master’s studies and currently doctorate, I do both outside my country: Ecuador. Basically because there were no graduate programs related to biological sciences. Gradually that is changing and it is nice to know that more and more people are taking an interest in them, but it is not an easy road. Accessing studies abroad is difficult, especially if you do not have sufficient financial resources. When you finally get access to one of these programs, you begin to understand that academia, like many other areas of society, is also full of stereotypes, discrimination and sexism. For me, as a Latino woman, it has been hard to understand, and painful to know that many actions even I myself did contribute to reinforce those stereotypes that I am currently striving to combat. I study evolutionary biology, and although my branch is full of talented scientists, it is also usually filled with men from countries in the northern hemisphere. I dream and want to support a present and a future where science is more accessible to everyone, especially girls. I want them to feel motivated to be scientists and, through science, to contribute to creating a more just and diverse world. |
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During my academic training I made a lot of effort, especially in the areas of molecular biology because, well "" they are the filter to be good biologists "“. When I lacked a semester to finish the degree, a teacher exercised academic harassment on me, the reason for her academic harassment: I had demanded better training and fair grades in a subject in the area of molecular biology and genetics. Since that claim, there was no way that I could pass the subject of Population Genetics, even if the teacher was not the main teacher and was only the supervisor of the subject. I remember that once in her office she told me that I should leave the career, that my mediocre head did not give for a scientific career, that would be better if I stop wasting others time and mine, that I was never going to be a scientist in my life, that I could go to other careers that won’t need so much mental effort. I got to the point of deciding to give up with the career, because I was repeating the subject for 2 years, no matter what I did, although I deserved to pass that subject, I always failed; that teacher always found a way to fail me. My goodbye to biology was the Peruvian ornithology congress in 2018; It was very hard for me to make that decision, I did not know a world outside of biology, I did not see myself practicing any profession other than being a biologist. After the congress I took a course of Population Genetics, although I already knew that there was nothing in the world that I loved more than biology, at that moment I realized that I would have to fight against everything and everyone to be a biologist, and even though I had been failing a subject in the molecular area for a long time, I knew I could be good in that area. I returned to Bolivia and enrolled again in the Biology career, I took the same subject, I had an excellent grade, higher than 80/100, the teacher seeing that there was no way to fail me only said:”" This 80 is too much for you "", annulled complete reports, to lower my grade, despite these injustices I managed to pass that subject and finally obtain the degree. and here is my best story in Biology: I was a field assistant to a PhD applicant, who would later become my thesis tutor and life mentor. I remember that I was in charge of recording the sounds that we heard (And yes, then I ended up working with bioacoustics), in our transect we felt that in a ravine something was looking at us every time we passed, we continued with our normal work. The next day the same, in that ravine we felt that there was something watching us. As we did not hear sounds, I decided to take a photo of a spider web in the middle of the road, when I finished taking the photo I turned and my thesis tutor was no longer there !! I panicked. When in the middle of the plants that covered the road (they made like a little tunnel) I heard the voice of my tutor very soft saying my name. I started down the path almost running when she says again: Look !. And I only heard a thunderous scream (for me at that time it was a jaguar) that left me stunned, when I manage to turn around they pass 10 centimeters from me, or well I felt it almost 10 cm. above my head, a pair of Cyanolyca viridicyana. At that moment, in between being on the Sillutinkara trail, my thesis tutor, the Cyanolycas, my career as a biologist gave the "" Glow up "" or jump, there I was aware that I was training to be a biologist, that’s when I realized that there was nothing I loved more than biology. It was the best moment of my life, during my career. " |
| I am interested in nature because my peasant grandmother always took me closer to country life. I grew up barefoot playing on the edges of the tropical forest. It was difficult to come from a public school because, in my country, Costa Rica, science education is not practical at all, I did not know what was a laboratory or that a biology career involved so much mathematics. I didn’t have put so much effort into the study until I went to university; I think that was the most difficult part of my degree, and also what I appreciate the most. It makes me learn about discipline, although it would be great if it wasn’t so painful. I have many great occasions in which I appreciate doing Latin science, I rescue the wit that arises from the need and the joy of being able to see the flora and fauna in its maximum splendor so many times. |
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I am Ecuadorian, and since I was little I have been interested in the diversity of plants and animals that I have known. Growing up on the coast of Ecuador is wonderful, with the ocean and the tropical dry forest. My family has always love travel and nature. As a child and a teenager, we camped on the beach and could explore the humid mountain forest when we visited the town of my paternal grandparents, San Lorenzo in Manabí. This love for nature and animals inspires me to study biology as a career, specifically interested in the evolution and adaptability of species to their environment. From the beginning, my studies have been full of challenges; I had to move to another city because in mine they did not have the career that I longed for. Afterwards, the main challenge was the search for opportunities outside the country. Preparation, determination, studying another language, having to leave family and friends behind in order to have the opportunity to specialize in what had become my dream. This were challenges that always was present. I did my master’s degree in the United States. It was an experience of more than a year of preparation. Well, I had to apply for scholarships to be able to have funding and prepare myself in the English language. Fortunately, my master’s supervisor, who is also from Ecuador, encouraged me throughout the process. Finally, I was able to work with him for two years. During this time he told me that many times the opportunities are outside the country, but that something can always be done for Ecuador, even from afar. His way of helping was by offering opportunities for Ecuadorian students like me to do graduate studies. And with that advice I returned to Ecuador, after my master’s degree, to work as a teacher. I was fortunate to work as a teacher at the university where I had done my undergraduate studies. I learned a lot from other teachers. My interests in evolution led me to collaborate on RNA virus phylogeny projects, where I learned basic bioinformatics and phylogeography methods. Teaching is a family tradition, my mother, my grandmother, uncles and aunts are teachers too. I was proud to also teach as my family did. And during the time that I was working, I realized the importance of this work. I wanted my classes to be as I would have liked to receive them, and the response of the students was very good, even when I stopped teaching after two years to pursue my doctorate, I am still in contact with many of those students, who now they also do their postgraduate courses. When I started looking for PhDs, while working in Ecuador, I realized the importance of doing research within the country. At first I wanted to continue working with fish, but an opportunity to work with plants presented itself in the Galapagos Islands. I am currently living in Montreal, Canada, in my 4th year of doctorate and despite having had to change my study system, and again moving to another country, I am proud to continue doing research in my own country despite being far. Fotos: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1F9MqZUwfcCuWPKSUmaJ6_bcWxK9rCkUE?usp=sharing |
| I have two stories to share, the first is the best moment in my career: It was during my second year of undergrade, I joined as a volunteer to collect data for a doctoral thesis, with whom would later become my thesis advisor and mentor. We were doing our tours recording birds, we passed through a creek full of vegetation, every time we passed through that creek we had the feeling that someone was watching us. In one of the many times that we had to go through that ravine, we did not hear many birds so I took advantage of the moment and stayed to photograph a spider web. When I turned around, I could not find my tutor. In seconds, I heard the voice of my tutor saying my name very softly, then I hurried and almost running down the path to that ravine that made us so uncomfortable. When I arrived and saw my tutor, she told me: -Look! And she pointed just behind me towards the ravine, the moment I turned to observe what she was pointing at, I heard a very loud scream (at that moment I swore it was the roar of a jaguar) and I saw a couple of Cyanolyca viridicyana pass a few centimeters away (or well, I felt them 10 cm away). I woke up in amazement and there while my tutor was observing the Cyanolycas, there in the middle of the most beautiful path in the Yungas and there in front of those beautiful birds. I realized that I was really studying science, I was studying biology and there was no nothing in the world that I could love more than being a biologist. The second story was the worst moment I’ve ever had in my career and I prefer to remain anonymous from the people involved. I was in the last year of undergrade. I had demanded a fairer qualification and better academic training from a temporary teacher in the area of Molecular Biology and Genetics. That claim cost me a lot. The main and interim teacher of the subject on which I complained, began to exercise academic harassment on me. No matter how hard I tried or how correct I had done my test, I always failed. I remember when the main subject teacher in her office told me that I would never be a scientist, that I would never be a biologist, that the world of science is for capable people and not for people with mediocre minds like me. I could only cry, but her insults did not stop and at that moment I did not see it as an insult, I saw it as a great criticism of someone very respected or feared within the race. It destroyed me academically, physically and emotionally. I did not sleep more than 3 hours a day, I only dedicated myself to studying that subject, which was the only one I needed to finish my degree. I remember that in an exam the main teacher of the subject took the exam sheets from me and began to review them in front of everyone, then she gave them back to me and said: “I wanted to check if you were cheating, that is the only way in which you can pass”, I could not continue with the exam, I just put my name, left everything half, I gave it to him and I left the classroom crying. After failing that subject three times, I decided to give up with Biology as a career, it was the most painful decision I had ever made. As a way to say goodbye to Biology, I traveled to the Peruvian Congress of Ornithology in 2018 and took a post-congress course, when I finished the course and almost a month outside of Bolivia, I realized that I was really good at doing science and could not give up. I went back to enroll in Biology. I fought with claws and teeth for every point to pass that subject, I read triple and I was trying like nobody else. I got a score of 80/100, but the teacher told me: “80 is too much for you” and she cancel some questions and reports, even so I did pass (not with a fair mark) but I did pass. Any student should go through or should be humiliated, just because there are “tough” teachers. It was not fair, I am not a good biologist because of what I went through, I am a very good biologist despite what she did to me. |
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Being in a rainforest had the same effect on me as it did on many naturalists who awoke to the great mystery of nature when they travelled to the tropics. As an extremely curious child who loved to feel the cold earth on warm feet, growing up surrounded by the Atlantic Rainforest was a wonder. I wanted to grow up and understand how it all worked. How humans were always destroying things that never went back to the way they were before, but in the middle of the forest everything always seemed intact, although always different? One day a log would appear in the middle of the stream, the next an insect’s nest would appear on the bank of this stream, then these things would disappear and give way to others, but nothing seemed to come out of a full and orchestrated functioning. I felt I couldn’t be happy in adult life, the one where we usually have to work and pay bills, if I couldn’t spend the eight hours of work in this same - physical or mental - environment.It was hard to get into college, I was never a brilliant student, but on the third or fourth attempt I entered a world that was much bigger than I imagined. I learned that it was not enough to be a biologist, you had to choose a specialty - but how, if everything interested me? I chose ecology because it was the area that seemed to connect most things. I could be an ecologist and study the life of birds, or how they interact with plants, or how microalgae populations fluctuate over time… It would be like deciphering the score that guides an invisible conductor just by listening to what the orchestra plays. This idyllic motivation only resulted in an academic career because I had space in an extremely creative laboratory, with openness to develop ourselves as scientists as if we were artists. Unfortunately I know few labs like this, and I see many colleagues having their wings clipped daily by research directors. And because I had this space for a few years at the beginning of my academic development, I learned to run away from any place that imposed barriers on me. This makes it a little more difficult to find a new place when the old one can no longer shelter you: I had to look for another laboratory to develop my PhD because the things I was looking for were no longer offered by the institution I was in. In the new institution I did not have the freedom - almost poetic - that I had in the previous institution, and I lacked something very important for a scientist at this stage: collaboration. I longed to do science more horizontally, openly, collectively. I believed that the decentralisation of ideas was something very important, especially in view of the social changes we were going through, which were enhanced by the lack of transparency. So I met people who helped me realise this desire, but unfortunately I had to leave my country to find an environment with this culture. Today I no longer live in the middle of a rainforest. Even so, this kind of environment guides my research - and my trips to the park, when I try to understand the behaviour of a bird that I have never seen before, for example. What I would like most is to be able to exercise my full potential in my country of origin, to have my work valued there, and to have daily contact with people who would understand my language. But more than that, I hope that the future of tropical ecology will require less resistance and resilience than my colleagues and I have had to have until now. |
| I have wandered around the world but always call the tropics my home. One may ask: why? It’s because I am from the tropics! I was raised in Ghana, a country off the west coast of Africa beaming with the mystery of nature and all there is to behold. Growing up in a dense forest setting, filled with wildlife, I felt close to nature’s heart and had a desire to keep it safe and protected. The seasons are the best. Rainy seasons are always soothing, sometimes leaving behind a radiant rainbow (which to me is nature’s way of telling humans to keep earth safe as beautiful as the colours in the rainbow). On the other hand, the dry seasons exudes the differences in forest structure from evergreen to deciduous species. As I enrolled in college, I knew I had nature at heart and wanted to help safeguard it but I did not know how to start. I graduated college with a degree in silviculture and forest management, and while I learned about forest management practices and engaged in afforestation activities like tree planting exercises, I still felt within myself there is more to be done to make meaningful contributions to natural resources protection. I realised that to properly manage the forest community requires knowing how it functions with or without external influences, both biotic and abiotic. After college, I joined the forestry research institute (FORIG) in my country and that was the watershed moment in my career development. FORIG is a melting pot of scientists and researchers of differing backgrounds and specialties all coexisting to understand and better manage the forest/forest resources. I soon had the chance to learn from scientists who were ready to help lift me from my fledgling career to maneuver the turbulent winds of the scientific world. During that timeI measured aboveground (gas exchange, woody debris, litter fall) and belowground (root gas exchange, root biomass) traits and analysed them which had positive impacts. Though there were rough times, I was lucky to have a better opportunity compared to other colleagues that had no experience under similar established scientists. After several research data collections and dedicated research work, I advanced my academic career to the graduate (MSc) level. At the end of my master’s program I had established myself in ecology and amassed many collaborations. I found collaborative work with international scientists to be especially enriching. My love for science grew and I yearned for a more refined area of study to contribute significantly in my field. I applied for a doctoral program in the US where I landed in a non-tropical environment (studying in desert and mediterranean climates). I worked on hydraulic traits of native sonoran desert species (e.g creosote and mesquite) which had different characteristics from tropical environment species that I was already familiar with. Comparing and contrasting environments within which species occupy challenged my thinking and broadened my knowledge scope. However, my affection for the tropics is still green and I strive to work in a tropical setting whenever the opportunity presents itself. For this reason a part of my research will be conducted in my home country to help contribute to understanding the forest functioning. However, there have been many uncertainties as to the level of data I could leverage due to the covid-19 pandemic. As an early career scientist, my aspirations and goals take center stage in my development, but this can come at the cost of abandoning my home country and family,which is sad for me. The decision to leave home was a big move but sometimes the options available locally are too limited. It is true that generally, scientists have better training and more funding in rich countries, and that this difference has existed for ages. Perhaps this will continue into the future. I do not have a specific answer, but what I know is that data drives science and data, no matter where it is acquired, contributes to our overall scientific knowledge. My personal belief is that science is an international activity that should be fluid and borderless. Resources should be equitably distributed without prejudice between nations to leverage multinational teams to help advance the field. In addition, a transborder scientific approach ensures specimens remain in their country of origin for safety and conservation while reducing transportation cost. I believe there can be a systematic effort to ensure scientific equalization which may provide synergistic effects of benefits over cost in the future. |
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I am a Colombian who is preparing to be a disease ecologist. A path that has been forged from passion and perseverance. I was fortunate to grow up in a family with a high sensitivity for the welfare of animals and the environment; As a child, I found television shows and magazines with stories about wild animals motivating, as well as exploring the world of insects in plants and under rocks. All of this was possible because she was surrounded by a family that recognized the importance of all living organisms, from a microscopic bacterium to a huge blue whale. When it was time to choose my professional career, I decided to become a veterinary doctor thinking of contributing directly to the quality of life of animals, especially in those places where human activities put their integrity at risk. During my studies, I learned more about microbiology and disease transmission. And when I did an internship in a veterinary pathology laboratory, I developed my thesis on the phylogeny of a virus that affects individuals of the carnivorous order. It was wonderful because in addition to learning about virus-host interactions, I also developed investigative skills with the support of a comprehensive scientist who inspired me to continue in academia. At the end of my studies as a veterinarian, I was an assistant in a congress in which I was fascinated by projects in mathematical models to understand the behavior of viruses in rodents and advances in microbiology applied to free-living animals. This motivated me to look for options that would allow me to continue my academic training, despite the financial limitations to finance postgraduate studies on my own. While working in a veterinary clinic, I was able to participate as a veterinary doctor in a project that studied the transmission of a parasite of importance to human health, between domestic and wild reservoirs. Subsequently, I obtained funding to pursue a master’s program in biomedical engineering, in the line of mathematical and computational biology, and that the project I joined as a veterinarian was my master’s thesis. These were my first steps in the quantitative study of biological dynamics. It was challenging, since it is a discipline that was outside my area of knowledge. I remember that, when I started field trips, I did not consider my professional life without direct interaction with animals and the analysis of biological samples in the laboratory. I never imagined that my passion for disease ecology would lead me to appreciate the theoretical quantitative approach so much, which encouraged me to continue my doctoral training in the field of computational ecology. Currently, I am fortunate to belong to a laboratory in Montreal that has an exceptional group that contributes to my scientific growth, as did my family and teachers. |
Note some answers have been translated from their original language or altered by the request of the correspondent
| What advice would you give your past-self or a young researcher from your country? |
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| There is no easy path, all of them require maximum effort. You must try so many times until you get it right. You should never give up on your dreams, mistakes make us gain experience. Making mistakes is not a mistake, it is just part of the trials, without mistakes there are no successes. |
| Leave the country and do not come back. Get another citizenship. |
| Read more on natural history and ecological models and have a broad perspective and don’t believe everything you read or see. Test for yourself whenever possible what seems known and try to find a new way to ask what has been done using all tools available, since many new become available over time. |
| The first thing you have to learn is to speak English, it is essential to be able to access information, courses and better jobs. Secondly, you should think of at least doing a master’s degree. In Colombia it is expensive to study, but abroad there are many scholarships and ways to cover expenses. |
| When birding, pay attention to the songs. Buy a sound recorder before a camera. Get organized with the data you collect and try to process it as soon as possible. Study English and practice writing. Learn to use R. |
| Be persevering through obstacles, however, also reflect on your plans for the future. |
| Give up if the project doesn’t suit you. |
| That’s tough - I don’t want to tell them that they need to study abroad if they want to study abroad. But at the same time given the current climate at home I cannot deny that there are more opportunities abroad… But I think it is important to remember that your work matters and is awesome and cool - no matter where you are situated and that you belong at the cool kids table. This means you shouldn’t be scared to dream, or to reach out to other researchers no matter how ‘small’ you feel. ANd just because you are ‘working from home’ doesn’t mean you cannot collaborate, work with (and maybe even) visit other researchers! Also (more practically) twitter is a great resource for learning about opportunities as well as sharing your work with the world! |
| Persist, insist, and never give up. Do not be afraid to apply to opportunities that arise and work in collaboration with scientists from other parts of the world, expand networks, do not be afraid of that either. |
| Persevere, don’t give up. Although the road is difficult, you can, because you are great, you are capable, you are valuable for trying every day. |
| The degree is not all Biology, get out there, meet more people outside of your teachers and let no one mediocre tell you whether or not you should continue in this career. Shine and help others shine |
| Getting involved in research projects from the beginning of my career, not forgetting that regardless of my origin I have right to be a scientist, my knowledge is valuable for science, as well as that of the students of the best universities in the world. |
| Don’t be hard on yourself. Take inspiration from other people’s accomplishments, don’t be afraid to ask for help, and also be proud of what you do. |
| Biology is more than a career, attend all the conferences you can attend, all the courses you can attend and never become a bad person. To be a good scientist you must first be a good person. |
| Diversify! Don’t underestimate the value of your skills, even if they aren’t valued in academia. Experiment with different areas and do not, EVER, listen to people who don’t know you and question your capacity to achieve things. More importantly, do not be afraid to ask for help! |
| The road to achieving career goals as an ECR is fraught with challenges. Perseverance is key to moving forward and breaking frontiers. Build bridges (collaborations) not walls! |
| If this is what you really want to do for your professional life, keep persisting. Sometimes you will feel that there are no opportunities or that you don’t have the skills to access the opportunities that currently exist. If you believe that with hard work and dedication you can achieve that opportunity, so be it. Don’t be intimidated by the skills of researchers with more years of experience. |
Note some answers have been translated from their original language or altered by the request of the correspondent
| Describe your dream of the future as a tropical scientist in a tweet (up to 280 characters). |
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| The science is overwhelming and can be innoptic at first. Just focus and stay on the path until the ideas are illuminated and the concepts are clear. |
| Senior scientists in a NGO or foundation or organization or society |
| New discovery on the way organisms live!!!! they seem to sense and bet more often on the future according to there past experience. Follow up in 20 years. |
| My scientific dream is to be able to use evolutionary biology tools in the conservation of species, in addition to using science to connect communities and the decisions of the government. |
| Have access to a laboratory equipped in a University where you can research and train new generations |
| Doubts |
| Cool kids table goes global! All researchers and students are welcome to be a part of the bigger conversation |
| My dream as a tropical scientist is that my country not only be the best place to do research, but also be the best place to be a researcher (better study and work opportunities, so as not to have to think about the option of emigrating :() |
| Science accessible to everyone, anywhere in the world. |
| To have my own institute, with a lot of money to pay thesis of all levels, to finance research projects and to employ all the young unemployed and bright biologists in Bolivia |
| Be able to understand properly the way to make the restoration of tropical ecosystems, to develop participatory restoration processes where other girls also dream of living their entire lives learning and enjoying nature. |
| Make known the work of tropical science in our own countries. Know that our diversity is unique, very valuable and is always close to us. Make it known to be appreciated and loved in a better way. |
| To have my own institute, with plenty of money for scholarships, courses, conferences. That I can employ young biologists in my country and produce the best academic knowledge. |
| We are in a mixed conference. People that can’t travel are attending online, and people that were able to travel are there and are feeling welcomed. Nothing is wasted. We are discussing about how we managed to slow down extinction rates and how we discovered many species. |
| Science without borders. Equal access to resources (funds, publications, education) and tools (internet, technology) for advancing science in the tropics |
| Doing science without the need to move to a country with more financial support and opportunities, there shouldn’t be barriers to make scientific advances. Also, increase the communications between scientists and decision-makers, to reach to make public policies decisions based on scientifical basis. |